


The Best Present

by ProPinkist



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen, Sappy, and by "best" I mean "the most often" lol, happy birthday EHyde, happy birthday Kija, which is what I think I do best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 12:09:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6469531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProPinkist/pseuds/ProPinkist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kija doesn't need anything more than what he has in front of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Present

**Author's Note:**

> This is both a birthday fic for my beloved Kija, and also a birthday present for EHyde here on AO3. It's a day late for her, I apologize!! I also apologize that this... isn't... very good. My introspective fics probably always sound kind of redundant; I need to do actual scenes. Unfortunately, I'm just easing back into AnY inspiration *sigh* Still, I hope it's enjoyable. Kija is my number one favorite character in the series; I love how much he has changed, even if subtly, and how much he cares for the HHB. <3

“Kija! Your birthday is soon, isn’t it? What would you like? I can have your favorite dish arranged as well, of course.”

Yona’s soft and kind voice asked him the innocent question, but Kija found himself speechless.

It was the first time he had ever been asked that in all his years of having birthdays, and yet also for the first time, he had no answer.

His life up until a year ago had been one of the most lavish one could imagine. Kija was pampered, he was revered, he was cared for, he was the most respected person in his village, and it was all he ever knew. And he had enjoyed it, despite his grandmother’s incessant worrying over him and, recently, shoving of girls onto him to marry. Other than that, it was peaceful, quiet, and he wanted for nothing.

Which included his birthdays.

There was always a grand festival on that day every year, although it only consisted of the villagers because no outsiders were allowed inside, so it wasn’t new in that regard. But there was dancing and wonderful food and drink, and Kija loved the bright and cheery atmosphere during it. The actual _gifts_ he received were never anything memorable, but just the event itself was enough to make up for it.

If he regretted one thing about his time in that life, it was that he hadn’t been able to know his father more. Kija didn’t blame anyone for this, of course, least of all him. His father had suffered because the master he was tasked with protecting wouldn’t appear before him in his lifetime. Or at least, not in his unnatural lifetime. It was awful to think that you might be given such a power that would do nothing but cause you an untimely and painful death; if that was the case, why must you have it at all? When he was born, it was a death sentence for his father, and Kija understood this. The fact that his own son had been the next generation probably added salt to the wound.

Kija wished there could have been a way to bring his father some small amount of happiness. Wished he could tell him he loved him… more than just in that one moment at the end. He thought he remembered his father whisper his name with his last breath, so maybe he had truly realized he was there. Or maybe it had just been his imagination. Even if it was true, he was sad he hadn’t been able to act until then. Kija had loved him, and he never once begrudged him for the scar.

The scar was a reminder of what he owed it to his father to do: use his White Dragon hand proudly, even if it only by protecting the other villagers. He wished each and every day that King Hiryuu would arrive for him… but because of the chance of that not happening, he had to hold his head high and bring honor to the White Dragon line as best he could.

When Yona appeared before him a few days after his twentieth birthday, however, Kija felt like the door that had remained closed for so many people before him had finally opened, and on the other side lay the most wondrous of opportunities. And it all depended on him.

He had wanted to sob out of such immense relief, awe, and joy. _This_ was what Kija had wanted so badly, not really for himself, but so he could fulfill the wishes of all the White Dragons who had lived and died before him. He would do his absolute best to make them proud; it was his job, since fate had chosen for Hiryuu to be reborn in his lifetime.

Kija looked forward to it.

…That didn’t mean his enthusiasm wasn’t dampened slightly by the journeying.

Sleeping outside and eating less than delectable food was hard for Kija for a long while. He supposed he should have seen it coming: Yona was the Princess of Kouka, and she and her guard were wanted fugitives. She was seeking out the four dragons to help her take back her kingdom, and they had to avoid interacting with other people as best they could. On top of that, her guard was annoyingly rude to him, and the young boy (who was he, anyway?) constantly berated him for not being used to said difficult circumstances.

It was when they met the Blue Dragon of this time that Kija first began to realize how little he knew, and how truly fortunate his life had been.

The Blue Dragon had no name. He had no real home of his own, no family, and no friends besides an adorable but still voiceless squirrel, since the other villagers in this place feared him. As nice as his life had been, deep down Kija had occasionally been struck with boredom… but that was nothing compared to what he imagined this person experienced each and every day.

He’d wanted to cry, and he actually did when he had a chance to be alone. While it was true that Kija hadn’t known what the powers of the other dragons entailed, he did know that the powers were nothing they could help if they were born with them. Even if they were dangerous, and even if people could not celebrate them as a result, the dragons shouldn’t be outright _shamed._ He understood people’s fear, but the Blue Dragon hadn’t done anything wrong. Kija couldn’t believe it: he could tell after only seeing him for a few moments how kind of a person he was. How _lonely_ he was. If he was wearing a mask, people had no need to be afraid of his eyes; how could people not understand that?

Kija could only think about the previous generations of Blue Dragons then, and how they might have been treated. It made him want to be sick, and he feared what they would find when they encountered the last two.

Yona named the Blue Dragon Shin-ah. He barely spoke, never took his mask off, and got shy around too many people, but Kija was just grateful they had saved him from that place. He’d realized then that he had another job as the White Dragon: being an adequate older brother to Shin-ah. It was the least he could do.

Time passed, and they eventually recruited Jae-ha and Zeno, both of which were vastly different from one another. Jae-ha was initially flippant, airy, and determined to have nothing to do with Yona. It was a stark contrast to Kija’s beliefs, and was even different from Shin-ah, who wanted to avoid her originally simply because he wasn’t used to being around people. It troubled him, and he wanted to prove to Jae-ha that he wasn’t as stiff as he thought he was. Show him that there was merit to being with Yona simply because she was a wonderful person to be with, and that she would never take him for granted or treat him like her servant. Eventually, Jae-ha  did indeed grow more comfortable around them, and Kija was pleased. He was one of the strongest and also wisest people in their group, and it made him happy to think that Jae-ha was happy to be with them.

Zeno… Kija hadn’t known what to make of Zeno at first, and he honestly still hadn’t for a very long time after they met him. He didn’t seem to have any actual dragon powers, was extremely ditzy and childish, and was always the first to jump for joy at the mention or sight of food. …Even still, he had a soothing presence to him, so there was an unspoken agreement that they all liked having him around.

Then the day came when their impressions of the strange Yellow Dragon were suddenly and brutally turned on its head. Everything horribly made sense, and thinking about it too hard would always send Kija into a numb state, unable to completely fathom it.

The Happy Hungry Bunch was an odd one, for sure, but they had all become their own little family. He would never have imagined this could have happened just a year prior, but it wasn’t long before Kija knew he wouldn’t trade this for the world.

Yona grew strong both as a warrior and a leader, and he couldn’t feel prouder and happier to serve her as he watched her change their world little by little. He watched her help bring smiles and life to the poor villagers who were abandoned by everyone else. Watched as she took down bandits and soldiers with her archery skills, wishing she didn’t have to kill but also being awed at how strong she had become.

Kija watched as Yona developed feelings for Hak, and watched them share a kiss for the first time when he realized she felt the same as he did. He pushed aside his heartbreak (as he knew Jae-ha did as well) and congratulated them, because more than anything else, Kija wanted his princess to be happy. And she would be happiest with her beloved friend she had known her entire life, and so that was the best he could ever hope for.

And finally, he had watched as she became Queen.

Their journey was long, but the most satisfying year he had ever had. Making Yona smile from a compliment he gave her. Fighting alongside Hak, whom he worked best with in a battle. Helping Yoon out as best as someone like him could by bringing him back firewood. Guiding Shin-ah through learning how to read, praising him warmly when he had a breakthrough. Scolding Jae-ha for his vulgar comments. Spending time with Zeno without saying a word, because the boy who looked seventeen in actuality carried a burden heavier than any of them could ever imagine, and he wanted him to know how much they cared and worried for him.

Kija loved them all, so much. They had opened his eyes, changed his world, and given him companionship that he never knew he wanted until he had it. It was even possible that the dragon cycle had ended now. Maybe Zeno would even be able to age again. It was what he hoped for most of all; the previous White Dragons could finally rest in peace.

It was because of all this that Kija didn’t know how to answer Yona’s question. As the queen of Kouka, she could give him absolutely anything.

_What could I ask for when I’ve been blessed with everything I could ever want? A great honor and a wonderful family… there’s nothing else I need._

Kija said the only thing that came to his mind for now, something the old him never would have suggested, giving her a warm smile.

“No… If he doesn’t mind, I’d rather have one of Yoon’s meals. …For old time’s sake.”


End file.
